Authentication and Quality Control of the Brazilian Traditional Herb “Espinheira-Santa” (Monteverdia ilicifolia) by Morpho-Anatomy and Microscopy

Abstract

The leaves of Monteverdia ilicifolia (syn. Maytenus ilicifolia), commonly called espinheira-santa, are widely used in South American traditional medicines to treat gastritis and ulcers. Several products labeled as espinheira-santa are sold as dietary supplements in retail stores and via e-commerce. Many different species with similar leaf morphology are often mistaken for Monteverdia ilicifolia and used as espinheira-santa, including Monteverdia aquifolia (Celastraceae), Citronella gongonha (Cardiopteridaceae), Jodina rhombifolia (Santalaceae), Sorocea bonplandii (Moraceae), and Zollernia ilicifolia (Fabaceae). This study aimed to characterize M. ilicifolia and distinguish it from adulterants using morphological and microscopic techniques. In addition, foreign matter and powder characteristics of botanical materials sold as “espinheira-santa” were analyzed. The morphoanatomical studies of the leaves and stems of M. ilicifolia and its five adulterant species have revealed noteworthy features that can help species identification and quality control of commercial espinheira-santa. This study showed that many commercial espinheira-santa materials were adulterated and of inferior quality.

Investigations on the morpho‐anatomy and histochemistry of Aconitum napellus L.

“…Species-specific markers can include chemical compounds or morpho-anatomical structures (Almeida, Monchak, et al, 2023;Raeski et al, 2023). The quality control of herbal raw materials is crucial not only to prevent and detect counterfeiting, adulteration and substitution but also for the safety, efficacy and quality of the finished herbal products (Antunes et al, 2023). These situations directly affect consumers' health since the chemical constituents of adulterated herbs will not be the same as those of authentic botanicals.…”